Why the climate movement needs more history nerds

After a year in office, climate minister Julie Dabrusin says she’s proud of her record. But critics say more pipelines, less progress on emissions cuts and other moves overshadow efforts to protect nature and boost renewable energy. We challenge the minister’s claims that her government is making Canada “climate competitive.”

Coral reefs support marine life — and livelihoods. But bleaching caused by warming oceans is putting both under threat. Fishing communities in Mauritius and Seychelles are feeling it more than almost anywhere else. But there are ambitious efforts underway in these island nations to restore some of what’s been lost, to protect the health of the ecosystems and the local economies.

Climate change is melting away winter, but a new documentary summons the magic of the most Canadian of frozen delights: the outdoor skating rink. For Earth Day, we speak with the filmmaker behind Icemakers about why he was driven to share stories about the people who spend hours each winter making ice for their families and communities – a job that’s getting harder with warmer winters. And we meet a Winnipeg man who turns his backyard rinks into a climate change conversation starter.

And Beth Gardiner says industry hopes you won’t notice. So what does it take to fight back? That’s the number one question the journalist asks in her new book, Plastic Inc.: The Secret History and Shocking Future of Big Oil’s Biggest Bet. She traces the history of how and why the industry has ramped up plastic production, and how we can ditch all but the most essential plastic in our lives.

“What’s there to worry about?” That’s what Alberta rancher Teresa Patry thought when her family agreed to oil wells on their property. But that changed when she, her family and her animals started experiencing a variety of health issues. And she says the province’s energy regulator is not doing enough to address her concerns. We hear about the potential links between health problems and oil and gas production. Then, we hear about a coalition of landowners, environmental groups and others working to push the oil industry to clean up its mess – for the health of communities and the climate. 

From the Best of What On Earth – Don’t have a garden? Adopt a roundabout and plant things for the bees! We meet a TikToker who’s done just that. And then we travel from coast to coast to hear about a push to let sections of city parks grow a little wild. We head to one of these meadows to hear how they attract pollinators, and hear why creating “pollinator pockets” for busy bees and “hairy” moths can be a climate solution across the country – and a patriotic one at that.

Canada faces a climate conundrum when it comes to the military. To maintain northern sovereignty, defence needs to adapt quickly to the warming Arctic. But even before the recent boost in investment, the military was already the single largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the federal government. So how can Canada defend the North and stick to its climate goals at the same time? Then, we hear about Canada’s new $3.8 billion investment plan to protect nature.

Flying emits a ton of greenhouse gases. So what's a climate-conscious traveler to do?What On Earth's climate justice columnist Chúk Odenigbo tells us about his sustainable beach vacation and shares some tips on how to plan your next getaway with the climate in mind.

Pop quiz! Who were the world's very first treehuggers? Story producer Jennifer Wilson hated history class, but she’s giving it another chance. She has been studying up on the people and events that paved the way for today’s climate movement and sits down with host Laura Lynch to discuss what lessons these stories hold for people taking climate action today.NOTE: This podcast has been edited to correct an error identifying Governor General Mary Simon as First Nations. She is Inuk.

Seafarers of old saw kelp as a danger, marking it on maps to avoid it. Today those maps are helping to restore kelp as a friend of the climate. Kelp sucks in carbon so the Tseshat First Nation is working hard to bring it back around the Broken Group Islands in BC.